Epidemiological features of leishmaniasis and implications for public health in the eastern region of Morocco

Leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by Leishmania and is transmitted by sand fly bites. The main clinical forms are visceral leishmaniasis and cutaneous leishmaniasis. In Morocco, leishmaniasis is a public health problem, especially in the eastern region. This study aimed to provide an overview of the current epidemiological situation of leishmaniasis in this region and to assess its public health implications. A retrospective epidemiological study was conducted in the eastern region, covering six years from 2016 to 2021. The data were extracted, completed and cleaned from the leishmaniasis case registry of the Directorate of Epidemiology and Control of Leishmaniasis of the Ministry of Health and then synthesized. The epidemiological results showed that in the eastern region, the majority of cases involved cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania major (89.45%). These cases are distributed throughout the year, with peaks in autumn (October and November) and winter (January and February). Males are more susceptible than females, with a prevalence of 57% compared to 43%, mainly in the young population (70% of cases are under 40 years of age) and in rural areas (86%). Lesions are mainly found on exposed parts of the body, mainly on the upper limbs (46.51%). Clinically, lesions were most frequently found on the upper limbs (46.51%), followed by the lower limbs (21.39%), the face (15.8%), both the lower and upper limbs (12.09%), the face with the upper limbs (3.2%) and the whole body (0.39%). The results highlight the need to strengthen prophylactic measures, particularly the importance of seasonal surveillance and interventions during the seasonal peaks observed in autumn and winter, given the challenges in rural areas, and the importance of protective measures such as clothing or repellents, including the provision of valuable medical treatment for exposed parts of the body.